Deciding between Exocad & 3Shape Dental System & More

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DrMJF

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I need some input from the lab techs...
I'm a fairly tech-savvy dentist and do a lot of my own tooth, tissue, and bone-supported stacking surgical guide designs, screw-retained implant provisional crowns on Ti-bases, and 3D print my own occlusal appliances and lab-designed all-on-x temps. I'm just getting into CAM, and the BlueSkyPlan software I've been using isn't up to snuff for more advanced processes like designing/exporting custom titanium/zirconia abutments and doesn't support CAM nesting (as far as I'm aware).
I'm looking at a Roland DWX-53DC (or DWX-52 DCi) and DWX-42W to support my dry and wet CAM needs, respectively. I have no plans to do same-day crowns. I run 3 (soon to be 4) offices and have roughly 30-60 fixed units and 10-15 arches of removable weekly, total. **We use 3Shape Trios scanners in each office**
My question: given these positions, should I look at investing into Exocad or 3Shape CAD software?
I've heard 3Shape is more intuitive because it keeps you in a fixed workflow and might be more friendly for somebody who doesn't do design full-time. I also like the AI design feature and the ability to outsource design to meet volume demands. The lab management software (LMS) feature sounds helpful to somebody with busy practices and cases coming in and out constantly. It also seems like it would play well with our office Trios scanners.
BUT...
every lab tech I've spoken to swears by Exocad. I know a prosthodontist who uses it too. I would need to be able to design All-On-X prostheses with ASC (Vortex screws), dentures, partials, abutments, and implant/tooth crown&bridge. To me, money is secondary to efficiency, throughput, and ease of task-delegation/training.
1. Help me decide between the two options!
2. Any recommendations for sintering / crystallization ovens? I was looking at the Ivoclar S1 and CS2, respectively. Is the CS-4 good to do both?
3. Any recommendations for better/different mills from the ones I listed?

Thanks in advance!
 
What are you doing for custom abutments nowadays?
Preat, for two reasons...they can accept (have libraries for) any scanbody from any manufacturer which is huge!!! Plus, only for labs and price was almost the same as Tru.
 
Preat, for two reasons...they can accept (have libraries for) any scanbody from any manufacturer which is huge!!! Plus, only for labs and price was almost the same as Tru.
Sounds great. Accepting all those scan bodies is a huge benefit. Maybe I'll give them a shot.
 
Ultimately you'll be the most efficient with the software your (future?) lab tech is used to.

That being said, when you mention things like full-arch, vortex screws, etc, it makes me think you're doing immediate load/straight to MUA cases. In my experience exocad is much friendlier with non-official scan body libraries needed for different photogrammetry/grammetry systems. It's also much more streamlined for full-arch.

When I was designing in 3shape you kind of had to trick the system into letting you be more flexible by utilizing several different modules (maybe it's changed) and going back to change things after the fact was a chore laden with load times and errors.
 
The owner/master ceramist of the lab I work at always tells me how he started the lab 45+ years ago with the CDT degree he earned from LSU Dental School and a $7000 blessing (which he paid back quickly) from his parents. That chunk allowed him to build out his lab space, and buy all the equipment/tools he needed to get off the ground.
flash forward to today where $7000 buys one small 3D printer or about 2years dongle service from 3shape
20 arches a month (designed in house and placed by yourself I'm assuming) amongst whatever other work you intend on doing would put you into a tax bracket that I know absolutely nothing about, but I'd venture to say you could probably comfortably purchase/afford whichever design software and milling machines and various other equipment and staff you could possibly ever need.
 
I am using both 3shape and Exocad. I like the open nature of Exocad. It will take any STL. 3Shape is very proprietory. It does not take STL files from any other systems. It will tag its files with proprietory code, and knows the difference. 3shpae is easy to work with like Iphone, while Exocad is like Android, in the sense that you have more options, and add libraries etc without worrying about freezing up
 
this guy and skidoc should team up they can look at each other in the mirror of truth and see the reason why no one can help these guys.
 
Save yourself all the headaches that come with operating dental lab. You are the master of your craft we are the masters of our craft. Work with a great lab that understands what you need/want. We have several client that do the stuff you do. There was a learning curve for both sides when we started working with them. Now we know exactly what they want and how they want it. We are their "in house lab" that is offsite. They love us we love them. Cases just run smoothly between us as if we were right next to them chairside.
 

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